The House Committee on Energy and Commerce has announced that Chairman Brett Guthrie supports a proposal by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to revise fuel economy standards and end a Biden-era electric vehicle (EV) mandate.
According to the committee, Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards are the primary federal tool for increasing vehicle fuel efficiency. The Biden administration's 2024 final rule set light-duty requirements that increase by 2% per year for passenger cars and later for light trucks, aiming for projected fleetwide averages of about 50.4 miles per gallon by model year 2031. This plan promises more than $600 in lifetime fuel savings per vehicle. However, Republicans, including Guthrie, argue that these rules effectively function as an "EV mandate" when combined with electric-vehicle tax credits and emissions regulations. They claim it penalizes popular gasoline trucks and SUVs, raises upfront prices, and sidelines consumers who prefer conventional or hybrid vehicles over battery electrics.
The Biden-era plan was promoted as reducing national fuel use and generating significant fuel-cost savings over its lifespan while requiring higher compliance spending by automakers. It also aimed for a faster shift toward electric powertrains to meet credit and penalty structures. The new Trump administration proposal seeks slower increases in Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, which would keep projected light-duty fleet efficiency in the mid-30-mpg range. According to White House and Transportation Department estimates, this could ease regulatory costs, lower vehicle prices by roughly $1,000, and deliver about $109 billion in total savings.
Electric-vehicle market data provides context for why some Republican lawmakers argue mandates exceed current demand. U.S. passenger EV sales were approximately 1.56 million in 2024, representing roughly 10% of light-duty purchases. Industry estimates place EVs at about 10–11% of new sales for the year—growth from earlier years but still far from broad adoption. Research links the rise of EVs and higher-priced models to average transaction prices exceeding $50,000, adding affordability pressure for households facing higher financing and insurance costs. Citing these trends, Republicans argue that policy should not outpace consumers’ budgets and preferences but should allow efficient gasoline and hybrid options alongside EVs.
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce is the oldest standing committee in the United States House of Representatives, created on December 14, 1795, as the Committee on Commerce and Manufactures. Over two centuries it has gained broad jurisdiction in Congress covering health care, consumer and environmental protection, energy and telecommunications policy, as well as interstate and foreign commerce. It oversees several key departments including the Department of Energy, Department of Transportation, Department of Health and Human Services, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Led by Republican Representative Brett Guthrie from Washington D.C., it serves as a key forum for party goals on energy affordability, regulation, and consumer choice.
